Generally, a silver halide photographic light-sensitive material is processed in a series of steps of developing-fixing-washing or developing-bleaching-fixing-washing, after an imagewise exposure. Such a process as described above has recently been regarded as important from the viewpoints of the problems of environmental protection and water resources. Accordingly. there have been some proposals of how to reduce a large quantity of washing water used. For example, there are some well-known techniques of saving a quantity of washing water by making the flow backward through a multistage washing tank system, such as described in West German Patent No. 2,920,222 and S. R. Goldwasser, a technical literature titled Water Flow Rate in Immersion-washing of Motion Picture Film`, Journal of SMPTE, No. 64, pp. 248-253, May 1955. In addition, there are descriptions of stabilizing processes in which washing steps are omitted, that is, any washing step is not taken substantially, in Japanese Patent Publication Open to Public Inspection (hereinafter called Japanese Patent O.P.I. Publication) Nos. 8543/1982, 14834/1983 and 134636/1983, and the like.
In the case that, after such a processing solution as a bleach-fix or fixing solution containing a thiosulfate is used, a large quantity of washing water is not used in the process, but a small quantity of washing water is used in a preliminary washing step or in a multistage counter-current washing step, or in the case that a stabilizing process is made while a small quantity of washing water is being replenished, processing liquids used in this process are stayed in for an extremely long time. It is therefore disadvantageous that minute black precipitates are apt to produce in the processing liquids due to the passage of a preservation time.
As for the methods of preventing the precipitates of a sulfide in a washing step with the purpose of overcoming such a disadvantage, there is such a technique as described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,059,446, for example, in which a polyalkylene oxide type non-ionic activtor is added into a washing bath, Further, there is such a technique as described in Japanese Patent O.P.I. publiCation No. 8542/1982 in which an isothiazoline compound or a benzisothiazoline compound is added into washing water.
Even if such non-ionic activator as described above is added into washing water or a processing liquid for stabilization, i.e., a stabilizer substituted for a washing water, there displays no effect on the prevention of the sulfide precipitates, and there is no more than only a little effect on the dispersion of the precipitates but further there is no practical applicability because bubbles are produced in the washing bath.
Meantime, isothiazoline or benzisothiazoline compounds can effectively prevent sludges produced of microorganisms, but cannot display a satisfactory effect against the production of the minute black precipitates.